In Bed with Miss Shaw
by jenny0198
Summary: Fusco and Shaw do some bonding


**In Bed with Miss Shaw**

"Jesus, Shaw" complained Fusco "Will you stop wriggling around? I'm trying to get to sleep"

"Sorry Lionel, I'm used to sleeping alone. I can't get comfortable"

"Yeah well, so am I. Normally when I sleep with someone it's for the usual reasons. Know what I mean?"

"Yes, I do know what you mean" she said firmly, "But don't go thinking that you'll get lucky tonight though"

"Hey" he responded, "It's not my fault they didn't have any spare rooms. You said you were fine with sharing"

"I thought that you or I would take the couch" she huffed, finally settling down and lying on her back, "I didn't know that it'd be broken with a big-ass spring poking out"

Fusco sighed, "It's not exactly 5-star here, is it? If that guy had known how to work his computer better, we'd have been back in New York by now and I'd be in my own bed. Nice and comfortable with no… irritations"

Shaw grinned in the darkness "I should thank you for stopping me from… doing bad things to him"

"What are you like, Shaw?" exclaimed Fusco "He was only a bank teller. No need to hurt him"

Shaw sniffed dismissively "Yeah well, he was delaying the mission"

Fusco yawned, "If you'd knifed him we wouldn't've got the charity's financials for Finch. Then where would we be? In jail most likely, with my pension gone" he concluded gloomily.

"Hmm, when were you last in bed with someone?" asked Shaw, changing the subject completely.

"Hey, that's a bit personal," exclaimed Fusco "I don't think I should answer"

"Hah!" said Shaw "I knew it. Obviously it's been a while" She sighed, "I know how you feel, I'm the same"

Fusco snorted, "You're a good looking woman, Shaw. You should have no trouble picking up a guy"

"Maybe I'm choosy" she said, "Do you really think that I'm attractive?"

"Hell yes" said Fusco emphatically "You hide it by pulling your hair back but if you let it down, you aren't bad looking – in the right light"

"Thanks Lionel" said Shaw in an offended tone "That's kinda faint praise. You liked me alright the other week when Carter, Morgan, and I got that number. You said we all looked pretty good in evening wear"

"That's true but I gotta say, though" continued Fusco, glad that the dark hid his grin "That your personality could use some work"

Shaw sighed somewhat sadly "Yeah, I know. I'm not wired like normal people"

"We don't mind really" said Fusco generously "You're our colleague so now you're _our_ weirdo. Anyway you're not as crazy as that Root – wonder when she'll show up again?"

"Think she will? She left a lot of havoc at that hospital when she busted out. Must be BOLOs all over the state – and beyond. She's probably laying low"

"She'll turn up" said Fusco firmly "She's got a thing for Finch. Not a romantic thing but a sort of attraction – like a moth and a candle, although I don't know which of them is the candle"

"Let's hope that Finch doesn't get singed"

"I wonder if she'd like to work with us?" mused Fusco "Me and Carter get on well together and you and Reese are a good team. She could partner up with Finch and help with the nerdy stuff. Balance the group up too – 3 boys and 3 girls"

Shaw sat up in alarm, jolting him wide-awake again "Are you freaking mad, Fusco? She's bat-shit crazy. Someone like that could put us all in danger – you never know what she'd do. Sure, she's smart - tough too - but I don't think it's a good idea. Reese'd say the same"

"Mmm" he said flatly, "It was just a thought. We may have to take care of her if she becomes a problem. Finch needn't know"

Shaw said carefully, glad that the darkness hid both their faces, "I think that you are capable of doing some rather bad things, Lionel Fusco. If you want to, or have to, that is"

He heaved a big sigh "Oh yes, I've done things for HR that I'd rather not talk about. Not to people like you – people I like and respect"

"Luckily I don't have much of a conscience" she said dryly, "I've done things too. So has Reese. So don't beat yourself up – you're playing for the good guys now"

"Didn't Root torture you with an iron? I'm not surprised that you don't want to see her again"

Shaw grinned, "She was planning to but an ISA team showed up and she bugged out. I had a chance to put her down later but Finch vetoed it – I think he hopes to save her soul or something. That's why he put her in that hospital"

"No one's told me how or where you caught up with her" said Fusco in a rather hurt voice "I guess I'm not trusted"

"It's not that, Lionel. It's a case of what you don't know can't hurt you. You have your boy and his mother to think of, not to mention other Fusco relatives. Carter doesn't know either – she has a son too. The rest of us aren't so vulnerable"

"It doesn't really matter" he said, "Believe it or not; I kinda enjoy what we're doing. It reminds me why I joined the cops to begin with – to help people, you know? Actually it's sorta better than my day job because we get to stop the bad guys _before_ they do anything"

"Yeah, it is satisfying" agreed Shaw "I like to be… part of something. Even if I don't necessarily like the other people. Present company excepted, of course"

"Glad to hear it" said Fusco dryly "Well I'm glad that you're with us – means Reese isn't always on my case and dragging me away from normal police work. Maybe my annual review will be ok – for once"

"Don't you and Carter get a lot of kudos for all the cases that Reese and Finch solve for you?" asked Shaw curiously, "I'd've thought that you two must be the NYPD's smartest detectives"

"That's true" agreed Fusco "Our Captain does tend to cut us some slack when we go AWOL to help you guys. His arrest and clear-up rates have definitely improved, plus we tip-off other precincts so they owe him (and us) some favours. All useful"

After a pause Fusco said somewhat hesitantly "You may not believe this, Shaw, but I was a good looking guy when I was younger – before the donuts. Anyway, just after Lee was born I got together with a woman at work. Stupid really, we were both married. She fell for me in a big way but I had the sense to end it and she moved to another precinct. I really, really liked her"

Shaw said slowly "Why are you telling me this, Lionel?"

"I… I promised myself that I'd never mix work and pleasure again" he sighed, "What I'm trying to say, Shaw, is that you don't have to worry about me tonight. Or any other night, come to that"

"You think I'm worried?" scoffed Shaw "I used to be a Marine, remember. My hands are deadly weapons. And my feet" she concluded smugly.

"Oh yeah, I know you could cripple me" agreed Fusco "But it would affect our working relationship and I wouldn't like that – you'd lose trust in me"

"I suppose I might put my arm over you in my sleep" he said with a frown "Out of habit. Just poke me in the ribs or something if I do"

"I am worried about one thing though, Lionel: Do you snore?"

oooooooooo

_Author's note: This is an imaginary scene from S3E4 "Reasonable Doubt"_


End file.
